The present invention relates to a multi-purpose paper, a manufacturing method thereof, and an application thereof.
Generally, the agricultural production comprises the steps of soil preparation, sowing, fertilization, hand weeding and harvesting, each of which requires a huge amount of manpower. Particularly, the steps of hand weeding and harvesting are the most manpower-consuming processes. To achieve the purposes of weeding and growing seedling, the farmers conventionally cover a plastic cloth over the land to retard the growth of weeds and use a plastic seedling-growing plate. However, after the crops are harvested or the seedlings are transplanted, the farmer has no ideal way in dealing with the useless plastic cloth and plate. Due to the plastic cloth and plate cannot be decomposed naturally, it tends to cause the second pollution once the plastic cloth and plate are discarded. In addition, the plastic cloth and plate will result in poor water and air-permeability and influence the ecological environment of soil microorganisms, root system of cultivated seedling, and the growth of crops.
The paper product has the advantage of being decomposable in natural environment easily. After achieving the purpose of agricultural producing, it can be naturally disintegrated and integrated as part of soil after plowing so that it has no disadvantages of recycling, handling the discards and environmental pollution as compared to those by traditional plastic cloth and plate. Therefore, it is desired to develop an agricultural paper material to replace the traditional plastic cloth and plate, or the cultivating medium, which it would be an advanced development in the aspects of economic benefits and environmental protection.
The papermaking material comes typically from the natural organic wood fibers, which are also excellent carriers for microorganisms. However, the conventional paper contains large amounts of chemical additives which have nothing to do with the required features of agricultural crops. Thus the conventional waste paper is not suitable to be used in agricultural application of farmland cultivating.
Therefore, if the functional components can be added and adjusted in the papermaking material during the manufacturing process in making the paper product, it cat be sufficiently applied in agriculture as desired. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a multi-purpose paper for being applied in agricultural planting and cultivating to solve the problems resulting from weed control, pest control, sowing, growing seedlings, fertilization, fertilizer saving, manpower saving and special cultivating, thereby the agricultural producing possibly becoming a permanent operation.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a multi-purpose agricultural: paper having the features of non-polluting, biodegrading and strong light-blocking ability so that it can be used as carriers of antagonistic microorganisms for being applied in plant cultivating and being used as functional basic materials to control weeds, control pests, sow seeds, grow seedlings, supply fertilizer, save fertilizer, save manpower and cultivate special species.
According to the present invention, a method of manufacturing the multi-purpose paper comprises steps of (a) providing a papermaking material and obtaining a clean paper pulp by treating the papermaking material, (b) adding at least one functional additive into the clean paper pulp to form the multi-purpose paper, and (c) processing the multi-purpose paper to form thereon an uneven surface structure.
Preferably, the papermaking material is one selected from a group consisting of waste cardboard case fibers, the remaining basic materials after being taken away the bottom surface paper of waste cardboard case, biodegradable plant fibers and polymer fibers.
In accordance with the present invention, the step (b) comprises steps of classifying, pulp-dispersing, coarse pulp-clarifying, fiber-separation, coarse screening, fine-pulp-clarifying, heat-dispersion, fine screening, bleaching, pulp-washing and pulp-refining.
In accordance with the present invention, the functional additive is one selected from a group consisting of Camellia seed cake""s powder, calcium carbonate, dry strength agent, wet strength agent, weed control agent, pest control agent and bacterial control agent.
In accordance wit the present invention, the Camellia seed cake""s powder is added into the clean paper pulp at 1% by weight for preventing golden apple snails (Pomacea Canaliculata Lamarck) and increasing dispersive level of fibers during manufacturing.
Preferably, the calcium carbonate is added into the clean paper pulp at a dosage based on classification of the papermaking material, sieving ratio of fibers, desired water-absorbing ability and air permeability of the paper for increasing the physical strength of the paper and promoting the proliferation of microorganisms.
Preferably, the weed control agent is one of inorganic and organic packing materials selected from a group consisting of black carbon, silicon dioxide and titanium dioxide.
Preferably, the dry strength agent is one of acidic and neutral agents of one of anionic and cationic ones selected from a group consisting of melamine formaldehyde resin, polymeric amine-epichlorohydrin resin, phenolic resin, glyoxalated polyacrylamide resin) polyacrylamide resin, raw starch, and modified starch.
Preferably, the wet strength agent is one of acidic and neutral agents of one of anionic and cationic ones selected from a group consisting of melamine formaldehyde resin, polymeric amine-epichlorohydrin resin, phenolic resin, and glyoxalated polyacrylamide resin.
Preferably, the uneven surface structure is an embossed structure.
Preferably, the uneven surface structure is a corrugated structure.
Preferably, the multi-purpose paper has a pH value ranging between about 6 and about 7.
Preferably, the multi-purpose paper includes a corrugated paper layer having a basic weight ranged from 90 g/m2 to 150 up g/m2 and a surface paper layer having a basic weight ranged from 90 g/m2 to 300 up g/m2 in order to have high wet strength, water-preventing ability and water-permeating ability.
Preferably, the multi-purpose paper is a paper substrate with a thickness ranged from 0.2 mm to 0.3 mm.
Preferably, the paper substrate has a water-absorbing ability larger than Cobb, 1 Min, 20 gsm and a wet-rupture strength in longitudinal/transverse direction lower than 1.0 kg/m2 after 2 hours immersion.
Preferably, the paper substrate has a wet-breaking strength in longitudinal/transverse direction lower than 1.0 kg/m2 after 2 hours immersion.
Preferably, the multi-purpose paper has an air permeability larger than about 50 sec/100 cc.
Preferably, the multi-purpose paper is rolled up, and cut into a specific shape in use.
Preferably, the paper is directly obtained from a waste cardboard case, and can be used in one of a group consisting of large area fields, home gardening, golf fields, paddy fields and dry farmlands of general or organic farming.
Preferably, the multi-purpose paper can be used in one of domestically cultivating box containing organic soil or organic medium and industrial applications selected from a group consisting of indoor and outdoor net supports, papery recyclable cultivating plate, and artificial indoor planting system with devices of temperature control, cold and hot water pipes, and light control.
Preferably, the uneven surface structure is used for sowing at least a seed thereon, and the method further includes a fixing layer for fixing the seed, wherein the fixing layer comprises manufacturing steps of (a) providing a papermaking material and obtaining a clean paper pulp by treating the papermaking material; and (b) adding at least one functional additive into the clean paper pulp to form the multi-purpose paper.
Preferably, the fixing layer is a thin layer die-cast with at least a lattice for positioning and wrapping therein at least the seed.
Preferably, the multi-purpose paper has light-blocking weed-preventive ability and natural porous carriers suitable for proliferating microorganisms thereon so that one of antagonistic microorganism for controlling a specific disease of a plant, natural pest control component and bacterial control agent can be coated, sprayed or immersed thereon and the multi-purpose paper can be used for covering one of land and cultivating medium for one of sowed plant and transplanted plant.
Preferably, the antagonistic microorganism is one of radioactive antagonistic bacterium for resisting root nodule nematode and antagonistic bacterium of radish seedling wilt disease.
Preferably, the natural pest control component is selected from a group consisting of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), linear alkyl sulfate (LAS), agricultural waste containing saponin and methyl alcohol extracted from one of Camellia seed cake and tobacco powder.
Preferably, the one of the antagonistic microorganism, the pest control component and the bacterium control agent can be coated on the surface of the paper by an adhesive material, wherein the adhesive material is a natural neutral material of one of natural amylum gel and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC).
Preferably, the method further comprises a step of coating fertilizer powder or capsule on the paper by one of spraying and coating technologies, to form a slowly releasing organic or chemical fertilizer coating, thereby providing required nutrition for the plant.
Preferably, the method adjusts a formula of the coating according to requirements and features of a specific crop, and sprays or coats on a specific position of the paper.
Preferably, the method further comprises a step of punching plural holes on the paper to partly pierce at least one of the fertilizer coating and the uneven surface structure, and inlaying the seed in punched holes to allow the seed to root downwardly upon germination and to guide roots of the plant to grow in a diverging room formed under the uneven surface structure.
Preferably, the method further comprises one of a step of attaching a fixing layer on the paper by an adhesive material for securing the seed on the paper, and a step of using the paper oppositely according to a specific requirement of crops, wherein the adhesive material is one selected from a group consisting of glue spray, starch and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC).
Preferably, the seed is further treated according to features of the seed by using a chemical seed-treating agent cooperating with one selected from a group consisting of alginic soda acid, gelatine and polyvinyl alcohol for protecting the germination of the seed, wherein the chemical seed-treating agent is selected from a group consisting of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butylenes glycol, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, polybutylene glycol, glycerine and 2-octyl glycol.
Preferably, the seed is selected from a group consisting of seeds covered with a paper pulp, seeds covered with a polymer compound, seeds of grains, seeds of medicinal herbs, seeds of economical plant, seeds of greensward, seeds of vegetables, seeds of fruits, seeds of flowers and artificial seeds cultivated from a cell culture.
Preferably, the method further comprises steps of overall embossing, punching holes, and making the uneven surface structure according to requirements of a specific crop, to increase water-absorbing ability, air permeability, size stability and limpness of dry and wet alternation.
According to another aspect, a method of manufacturing a multi-purpose paper for cultivating comprising steps of (a) providing a papermaking material, (b) adding at least one functional additive into said papermaking material to form the multi-purpose paper, and (c) processing the multi-purpose paper to form the multi-purpose paper thereon an uneven surface structure.
According to another aspect, a method of manufacturing a multi-purpose paper for cultivating comprising steps of (a) providing a papermaking material and obtaining a clean paper pulp by treating the papermaking material, (b) adding at least one functional additive into the clean paper pulp to form the multi-purpose paper, and (c) processing the multi-purpose paper to form the multi-purpose paper having an uneven surface structure sowing at least a seed thereon, wherein the uneven surface structure is used for placing thereon the seed and forms thereunder a diverging space to help develop the root system of the seed.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, a multi-purpose paper comprises: a paper body having an uneven surface structure and at least one functional additive distributed or wrapped inside the multi-purpose paper.
In accordance with the present invention, the surface paper of the uneven surface structure has an air permeability larger than 102 sec/100 cc, breaking force larger than 2 kg/cm2, dry pulling force in longitudinal direction larger than 4 kg/15 mm, dry pulling force in transverse direction larger than 105 kg/15 mm, wet pulling force in longitudinal direction larger than 3.5 kg/ cm2, wet pulling force in transverse direction larger than 1.4 kg/cm2, water splash level larger than R3, and gluing ability degree larger than 120 sec.
Preferably, the multi-purpose paper has a basic air permeability larger than about 50 sec/100 cc, except the surface paper of the uneven surface structure has an air permeability larger than 102 sec/100 cc.
Preferably, the multi-purpose paper can be used in one of growing seedling of shallow crops and an operation system of cultivating and obtaining seedling.
Preferably, the at least one seed is covered by one of thin cultivating medium and soil.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood through the following descriptions with reference to the drawings, wherein: